Fincantieri floats out Regal Princess

MARCH 27, 2013 — Fincantieri's Monfalcone, Italy, shipyard yesterday floated out its latest newbuild for Princess Cruises, Regal Princess, a sister ship to the soon to debut Royal Princess.

Following the Italian shipbuilder's custom, the float out of a ship begins when a "madrina," or godmother, cuts the cord that begins the flow of water into the ship's building dock. Carolyn Spencer Brown , editor in chief of the online community Cruise Critic, served in this role for the Regal Princess.

Carolyn Spencer Brown, seen here with Alan Buckelew , president and CEO of Princess Cruises, acted as godmother at float out ceremony

"To mark this important milestone we selected a woman who lives and breathes the cruise industry," said Alan Buckelew , president and CEO of Princess Cruises.

Regal Princess and Royal Princess are new-generation cruise ships for Princess Cruises.

At 141,000 gross tons and 330 m long by 38 m wide, the new ships are largest ever built by Fincantieri. Each has 1,780 state rooms, with the 1,438 exterior units (81 percent of the total) having balconies. Passenger capacity is 3,600, with total capacity, including crew, being over 5,600 people

Among the features will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel; private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on the water; a new Princess Live! television studio; a pastry shop; and a special Chef's Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light.